The Affair

by James Caine

Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her violent husband. She believes she found safety in a rundown motel in a small town.

The handsome motel clerk helps take her mind off her fears, until she starts to hear weird sounds outside her motel room and sees shadowy figures near her door.

Alice finds out the hard way that she shouldn't have stopped in this small town. Her husband knows exactly where she is.

This is a psychological thrilling short story offered exclusively to members of James Caine's newsletter.

Genres: Thriller, Short Stories, Ebooks

ebook

First published November 10, 2022

Reviews

[SVETLANA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story about life that brings sometimes bad surprises.

Alice runs away from her Mafia boss husband who is facing a trial. She uses cash and is very cautious but soon finds herself in a new dangerous situation in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story gripped me immediately. Alice is on the run, her future uncertain. This quick read is full of heart racing moments that kept me reading until the satisfying conclusion. James Caine masterfully creates a foreboding atmosphere full of suspicion and tension. Will Alice escape her terrifying husband and the world he controls, or will her life forever be engulfed with danger and fear? Thank you to the author for this entertaining, addictive read.

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He wouldn't find her. She used cash. she didn't use any credit cards. She didn't have her phone or anything with a transmitter. He couldn't trace where she was."

One of the things I really struggle with when it comes to short stories is that they often end up feeling rushed. Unfortunately, this was one of them that I felt fell a little short because of this. It was a good story, and o did enjoy it, but I would have liked there to be a little more to it. Having read this one though, I am looking forward to reading some of this authors full length books.

[Gales Tales70 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick short read. Not much of a thriller to be honest.

[Geethika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where exactly is the “thriller” part??😭

[Angie W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great short read. I felt the ending was too abrupt. But I'm falling in love with this author 💖💖💖💖 so I'll take it.

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story about bad surprises.

Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her mafia boss husband, his last words still ringing in her ears.

"If you leave me, I'll kill you."

But as soon as he walked out the door that morning, she packed her bag and hustled Francesca into her portable crate, leaving her wedding rings on the short but not so sweet parting note for her husband to find on his return. She knows he will not be happy but this time was a stretch too far.

Now she finds herself in Peace River, population 3450. With only two places on offer and the more attractive of the two virtually shutting the door in her face citing they don't accept pets, Alice now finds herself in the shabby office of the run-down motel across the road. But any second thoughts she had about the place vanish when the manager walks in, handsome and smiling. Maybe she had landed on her feet here after all.

But then strange things begin happening. Noises in the night. Banging on the walls. The phone ringing off the hook. Shadows on the walls. And then she realises. She may have run from her husband, but she has not escaped him. He knows exactly where she is...and Alice knows she is no longer safe.

I felt like I'd checked into the Bates Motel with this quick read AJ Carter sent in his latest newsletter. It certainly had those Bates Motel vibes about it. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on really but it was an entertaining read just the same. And quick, taking me just under an hour to read.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Eva Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Affair by James Caine is straight forward psychological thriller that will spare you time and doesn't bother you with unnecessary details!
How things turned around was just brilliant and I definitely didn't expect this type of ending. When I dived in I didn't know it was a short story so I was like "Is that all? I want more!"
To be honest this short story would have the potential for a full-length thriller adding some drama and heart-pounding pages.

Alice is on the run from her violent husband who is facing serious charges and sleeping with her best friend. Alice is ready to disappear despite her husband's threats. When she finally feels that she can breathe life through the unexpected spin and put her in a dangerous situation.

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Story!
To get away from a lifestyle that is totally foreign to most other people. She got away from her husband, when she found out that his latest infidelity, was her best friend... why HER? So, she was a smart girl, and left him, while thinking things through, so that his people couldn't find her... but did they?
She rides a bus to a no-where land place, finally finds a motel that will allow her to have her puppy with her. That is how things start, and then they get really interesting!
I loved the ending of this story!
Thank you, James Caine for another great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this story and this is my honest review.

[FD · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an entertaining short story. Thrilling, but there isn't enough build-up of suspense to really call it a psychological thriller, although there are certainly elements of suspense in it. I don't think the story is really finished, the plot is a bit sudden, and then not really finished.
But still a nice story to read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Affair by James Caine.
Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her violent husband. She believes she found safety in a rundown motel in a small town. The handsome motel clerk helps take her mind off her fears, until she starts to hear weird sounds outside her motel room and sees shadowy figures near her door. Alice finds out the hard way that she shouldn't have stopped in this small town. Her husband knows exactly where she is.
A brilliant read. Read in one sitting. 5*.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this psychological thriller it was fantastic, well developed story and it had everything that you want in a book. I was on the edge of my seat following the main character screaming no! A woman on the run from her husband chooses to stay in a run down hotel. What could go wrong? Well as you know everything!! This was exactly what I was looking for. I love this authors books. He really knows how to deliver an intense ride! Highly recommend

[Deachbodin Densutham · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Affair offers an interesting premise, but the execution leaves much to be desired. The story feels rushed, with underdeveloped characters and a lack of emotional depth. The plot twists, while present, are either predictable or fail to make an impact. Despite a few moments of intrigue, the overall experience is underwhelming. It’s a book that may leave readers disappointed, even those who enjoy this genre.

[karin whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this in another authors promo. This is my honest review. The first book is about a wife of a Mafia Don who had enough of her husband's cheating and hits the road. Big mistake. The second story newlywed couple, the husband is taking his new wife to meet his parents for the first time. Parents live off the grid in a very remote area. Both stories give you a taste of the full-length books. An interesting read. I've read other books by James Caine and he knows how to spin a tale.

[Kashish · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.75 ⭐)

This is a short story where circumstances go wrong and lead to some tension. But there's no real “thriller” part. Since it's only 8 chapters with very simple writing,it is a good one-time read but I have definitely read short stories better than this.

I read this because I've been seeing many of my bookstagram friends reading James Caine's books and I wanted to start with a short one first. Looking forward to reading his other works.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and it was a nice easy read. Actually I didn't need to take many leaps so I liked it, it was very believable. This is unusual lately as there have been a lot of plot devices to get to the ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nora Flood-Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a quick thrilling read this is it! Alice finally escapes her mob husband. She gets off the bus and checks into a questionable motel. Alice is a little too trusting. Her husband might be just around the corner.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the psychological thriller elements in this novel. It had what I was hoping for and it does a great job in having you on the edge of your seat. The characters worked so well and I enjoyed the way James Caine.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Ruffalo is running from her mobster husband, Nick Ruffalo. She ends up in a small town in Ohio. There at a hotel she meets Jason. But after a small fling with him she wants to leave but he won't let her. Come to find out he isn't any better--maybe worse than her husband. Can she really leave her old life behind and start fresh? I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[SKP · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up… I downloaded this for free & read it in under 30 minutes. It was ok, but a little bit of a let down in the end. Once the big twist came into play, somehow I expected a little more punch to end the story, but there wasn’t any. I will give the author’s longer books a try though, as a lot of them seem to have good ratings.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goed verhaal, helaas op een gegeven moment wel opeens klaar. Het is een kort verhaal, maar ik had graag dat wat dingen met Jason wat meer uitgewerkt zouden zijn dan hoe plots het nu liep in het verhaal. Nu lijkt het haastig afgewerkt nadat je er eerst wel fijn in zat. Dat vind ik jammer.
De schrijfstijl is wel goed en ik zou wel meer van deze auteur willen lezen.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her Mafia husband. She thinks that she has found a safe place to stay. But is it. Short thriller.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danelle✍🏽 Reviewer · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did I just read🫥...

The pronouns got mixed up, the dialogue was ridiculous and the whole motel business was just a hot mess...seriously? As for Jason and Mr. Andrews, yugh!!! Weak plot. Book should be taken off every stand and all shelves.

[Ashley Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a short story when I started it. It has a great plot and could have easily been a full length novel. I would have liked that! It went by quickly and I read it in one sitting. Thrilling and great writing.
Thank you to James Caine for the ARC of The Affair.

[Kellie Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, it would have been better if it were a longer book. The most annoying aspect were all the holes in the book. A lot of details and timelines were skipped which makes sense since it's a short story but I feel like this storyline would have been better off in a full book rather a mini one

[Dr. Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this down and read it all in one sitting. It’s a short story about Alice on the run from her mafia husband. On the edge of my seat reading from the get go but the ending felt rushed. There were so many questions about what else could have happened.

[Summer · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5⭐️

Short story but I thought it was very choppy and randomly thrown together. The storyline of the character and the situations she got herself in was unrealistic. The title really doesn’t match the story either.

[Ashley Cestra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like this author I do. This one was not my favorite. It just ended, right when I was getting invested in the story. This one could have been so much more and I’m sad it was just a dangling carrot. I did enjoy what I did read, I do love those kinds of plots!

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short story. I would have liked a twist or two or maybe more drama.